TIL that half the people on the PCT don't even carry a map anymore

I was at REI last week and overheard two guys planning a section hike on the John Muir Trail. One said he just uses his phone for navigation and doesn't bother with paper maps because they're heavy. I get that saving weight is important, but what happens when your battery dies on day 4 or you get into a dead zone? I've done 5 multi day trips in the Sierra and always carry a paper map as backup. Lost my phone in a creek near Tahoe last summer and would have been totally screwed without the map. Has anyone else run into issues relying only on digital navigation out there?

2 comments

2 Comments

grant_ross2716d ago

Honestly, I was out near Desolation Wilderness last fall and my buddy's phone died like 12 miles in. He was so sure his phone would be fine because he had a power bank but he forgot to charge it. We ended up having to backtrack like three miles because we missed a turnoff that wasn't clearly marked on the trail. Paper map saved us, but it was a solid hour of arguing before he admitted it was a good thing I brought one. Ngl, people get way too cocky about tech until reality hits.

theaw6516d ago

Guilty as charged, I've been that guy who swore his phone would get him home. Showed up at a trailhead once with a dead battery and a bright idea that I'd just use the GPS on my watch. Ended up following a creek for two hours because I was too stubborn to turn around.